Crossover Play
April 15, 2009 • By Tiffani Knowles
To hone a craft, you gotta be disciplined, ruthless, consumed by its intricacies and totally given to the structure and order governing that craft. That’s if you want to be good at ONE thing. I mean take, Olympics medalist Michael Phelps who swam 13 miles everyday, slept 10 hours every night and ate five times more than the average human, just to snatch up eight gold medals and break seven world records.
But, think how difficult it would be to apply that
dedication to more than one craft. It could get you committed. Or, maybe - like Deion Sanders - you find Jesus.
Many
times this sort of lunacy is the very lot chosen by the entertainer. The Barbra Streisands, the Will Smiths, the Debbie Allens.
While the performing arts world is quick to dub certain artists triple threats (those who sing, dance and act), one may dare say these entertainers are most times barely believable at two of the three. It is very rare to find an artist who can and will invest the physical and mental effort to excelling in more than the one craft that can yield their critical success.
Still, for those who have exhibited a knack for multi-art dexterity, they must be applauded for their attempt at versatility and the kudos it may bring. For the others who tried and were barely able to eek out a puke-worthy performance, don’t quit your day jobs!NEWD has filtered out the aficionados from the dilettantes. Check out our chart and judge for yourselves:
| HOT JOB | FLOP JOB |
Will Smith GOT HIS START: Grammy-winning rapper and Fresh Prince of BelAir CROSSOVER MARKS: Moves to Action/Sci Fi movie star in late 90s' Bad Boys, Independence Day and Men in Black OFF THE CHARTS: As of Hancock (2008), he holds the record for the actor starring in the most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies NEXT PART: SciFi Thriller Monster Hunter Audra McDonald  GOT HER START: Broadway Musical Actress and Singer CROSSOVER MARKS: TV actress in A Raisin in the Sun and Dr. Naomi Bennett in Private PracticeOFF THE CHARTS: Four-Time Tony Award Winner, 2-Time Emmy Nominated and 2009 Grammy Winner for Best Classical Album and Best Opera Recording Album for work in Weill: Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny. Mandy Moore  GOT HER START: Bubble Gum Pop Singer CROSSOVER MARKS: Breakout goodie- two- shoes roles in the movies The Princess Diaries, A Walk to Remember and Saved! OFF THE CHARTS: Won the 3 Teen Choice Awards including Choice Crossover Artist in 2003 and one MTV Movie Award for "A Walk to Remember." Chick is obviously strong enough to work opposite Hollywood greats like Robin Williams and Diane Keaton. Jaime Foxx  GOT HIS START: Comedian on sketch comedy In Living ColorCROSSOVER MARKS: Actor and R&B Singer OFF THE CHARTS: Won 22 awards for his performance as Ray Charles in Ray. Second actor to win an Academy Award for "Best Actor" and to have had a #1 billboard single ("Gold digger" by Kanye West). The first to do so was Bing Crosby. NEXT PART: The Soloist Gregory Hines  GOT HIS START: Deceased tap dancer who debuted at The Apollo Theatre at age six with his brother Maurice Hines, then became a choreographerCROSSOVER MARKS: Broadway Musical, TV and Film Actor well known for his performance as Sandman Williams in The Cotton Club (1984) OFF THE CHARTS: Won a Tony Award for Jelly's Last Jam in 1992 and was nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys Hugh Jackman  GOT HIS START: Offered a starring role in the ABC TV prison drama "Correlli" right after drama school (1995) CROSSOVER MARKS: An accomplished singer, Jackman has starred as Gaston in the Australian production of Beauty and the Beast and in 2004 won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in the Musical - The Boy from Oz. OFF THE CHARTS: This year, Hugh Jackman played to his biggest ever audience as the first non-comedian to host the Oscars in more than two decades. NEXT PART: X-Men Origins: Wolverine Barbra Streisa  ndGOT HER START: In the Erasmus High School choir singing with good friend Neil Diamond CROSSOVER MARKS: Award-winning actress in Hello Dolly, A Star is Born and Meet The Fockers OFF THE CHARTS: Named the best selling female singer of the 20th Century. She has sold more than 68 million records, with 47 Gold, 28 Platinum and 13 Multi-Platinum. First woman since the silent era to direct, produce, write and star in a feature film; she also sings (Yentl) (1983)). Only artist to receive Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, CableACE and Peabody awards. NEXT PART: Little Fockers (2011) Neyo  GOT HIS START: Songwriter, penning the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario. CROSSOVER MARKS: R&B Singer, Producer and Film Actor OFF THE CHARTS: 3 Platinum R&B Albums, has also written songs for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Rihanna, and Enrique Iglesias. Debuted on the silver screen with Save the Last Dance 2 and Stomp the Yard. NEXT PART: Red Tails and Venice Beach (star, produce and write soundtrack) Queen Latifah  GOT HER START: Hip Hop's first lady with her debut as a human beat box alongside Ladies Fresh in the '80s CROSSOVER MARKS: Singer, Actress and Spokesmodel for Covergirl Cosmetics OFF THE CHARTS: She won a Grammy in 1994 for Best Solo Rap Performance for "U.N.I.T.Y." First female rapper to be nominated for an Academy Award for 2003's Chicago. NEXT PART: Just Wright Mark Wahlberg  GOT HIS START: Bad boy rapper and lead of Marky Mark and The Funky BunchCROSSOVER MARKS: Actor in the movie Renaissance Man and Fear OFF THE CHARTS: Martin Scorsese directed Wahlberg to his very first Academy Award nomination as "Sgt. Sean Dignam" in (2006).As of 2008, he earns a reported $12-15 million per film plus a percentage of the back end profits. NEXT PART: Boardwalk Empire Mos Def  GOT HIS START: Acting as oldest child on short-lived sitcom You Take The Kids with Nell Carter, then Bill Cosby's sidekick in The Cosby Mysteries CROSSOVER MARKS: Launched as a socially-aware Hip Hop Artist in early 90s alongside Talib Kweli, then moved into film with Spike Lee's Bamboozled, Monster's Ball, and the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar. OFF THE CHARTS: Grammy Nominated for song "Ghetto Rock" and Emmy Nominated for HBO TV Movie Something The Lord Made NEXT PART: Mama Black Widow | Madonna  GOT HER START: Star of pop/dance band The Breakfast Club, then launched as a solo act CROSSOVER MARKS: Madonna first appeared on screen in two low-budget films marketed to a teenage audience: A Certain Sacrifice (1985) and Vision Quest(1985). STUNK UP THE CHARTS: Her performances have consistently drawn scathing or laughable reviews from film critics, and the films have usually had tepid, if any, success at the box office. The big-budget Dick Tracy (1990) had her playing bad girl "Breathless Mahoney" flirting with Warren Beatty but the epic failed to catch fire at the box office. Jennifer Lopez GOT HER START: Fly Girl Dancer on sketch comedy In Living Color CROSSOVER MARKS: R&B Singer known for collabos with JaRule, then turned mediocre romantic comedy actress STUNK UP THE CHARTS: Proving she can't sing a lick in Spanish or English, both her "Como" and "Get Right" albums were huge sales disasters and her movie career is currently in need of a major jumpstart. NEXT PART: The Back Up Plan (romantic comedy) Billy Ray Cyrus GOT HIS START: Country Singer known for one hit wonder "Achy Breaky Heart" CROSSOVER MARKS: Acting alongside real-life daughter Miley Cyrus as her father/manager on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana STUNK UP THE CHARTS: Miley would have a better chance at cleaning up her tween image if they re-cast her TV dad as Dave Coulier. NEXT PART: Hanna Montana: The Movie Beyoncé Knowles GOT HER START: Lead Singer of Grammy award-winning Destiny's Child, now a soloist CROSSOVER MARKS: Plays Singer-Actress roles in The Fighting Temptations and Dream Girls STUNK UP THE CHARTS: Starring in 2001's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, both she and the film directed by Robert Townsend received negative reviews. For the sake of a long-suffering audience, let's hope she takes a few more accent-reduction courses. NEXT PART: Obsessed Jennifer Hudson GOT HER START: American Idol contestant CROSSOVER MARKS: Actress in 2007's Dream Girls for which she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress STUNK UP THE CHARTS: Delivered a lackluster performance as Sarah Jessica Parker's assistant in 2008's Sex and The City. Made people wonder if the Academy made a mistake? William Shatner GOT HIS START: Shakespearean Actor then Captain Kirk in Star Trek CROSSOVER MARKS: Musician and Singer STUNK UP THE CHARTS: Shatner launched a nowhere musical career with the spoken word 1968 album The Transformed Man. Delivered with orchestral backings with the odd "psychedelic" flourish, his exaggerated, interpretive recitations of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" became instant camp classics. Sean "P Diddy" Combs GOT HIS START: Music Producer and Intern with NY's Uptown Records CROSSOVER MARKS: Rapper, Clothing Designer, Entertainment Mogul and Actor STUNK UP THE CHARTS: Played Walter Younger in Broadway and TV adaptation of the play A Raisin in The Sun. Yet, his severly underdeveloped acting, appeared even more infantile against the powerhouse skills of award-winning actresses Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan. Tyra Banks GOT HER START: Supermodel  CROSSOVER MARKS: Actress on Fresh Prince of BelAir, then singer, business mogul and now talk show host STUNK UP THE CHARTS: n 2004, she recorded her first single, "Shake Ya Body," which had a music video featuring the final six contestants on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 2. The video was world-premiered on UPN, but the single turned out to be a failure. On America's Next Top Model, Cycle 2 Banks said, "Singing has been a passion of mine for a long, long time...six years on the down low - been ducking in and out of studios cutting tracks." Later, on her talk show, she said, "I can't believe I wasted six years of doing something that I didn't finish...I was almost able to release my album T.Y.R.A., but since my music career hit rock bottom, I quit." Mariah Carey  GOT HER START: Pop Singer, Songwriter and Music ProducerSTUNK UP THE CHARTS: Carey introduced elements of hip hop into her album work, but her popularity waned and she was dropped by Virgin Records in 2002 after a highly publicized physical and emotional breakdown, as well as the poor reception given to Glitter, her film and soundtrack.project. |
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